Walker and rolling chair



l March 2, 1943. J, 0; TAYLQR 2,312,602

WALKER AND ROLLING CHAIR A ttomey/ March 2, 1943. 1, o 'TAYLoR 2,312,602

WALKER AND ROLLING CHAIR Filed July 2. 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 InventorMarch 2 1943.

J. o. TAYLOR WALKER AND ROLLING CHAIR Filed July 2. lgfu s sheets-sheetS Inventor A Homey,

Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALKER ANDV ROLLINGCHAIR- Judson O. Taylor, Zanesville, Ohio; L. L. Combs and JohnEbersbach executors of said Judson O. Taylor, deceased 6 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to a walker and rollingA chair, the generalobject of the invention being to provide a chair having a back part anda pair of side parts with a hinged seat which can be folded downwardlyto rest upon portions of the side parts or held in raised positionagainst the front of the rear part, with arms on the side parts, thechair being provided with legs having casters at their lower ends sothat the chair can .be used for supporting small children or personsunable to walk alone, so that the children or crippled persons cansupport themselves by the chair and push the same along to enable themto ytravel over a surface, theseat being lowered when the child orperson wishes to sit down.

Another object of the invention-is to provide the back of the chair atthe top thereof with a foldable handle so that the chair can be used forpushing a person sitting on the seat and also to make the chair foldableso that it will occupy but little space when stored or being carriedfrom one place to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide the seat vwith a foot restwhich can be folded against the bottom of the seat when not in use.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair in unfolded position.

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing the chair in folded position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through Figure 1 but with the seatfolded against the back and the foot rest folded against the seat.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the seat inlowered position and the foot rest in operative position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a plate on the seatengaging a pin on a side piece of a side member when the seat is inlowered position.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing the seat in folded positionagainst the front 0f the chair back and a plate engaged by a turnb-uttonfor holding the seat in raised position.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 'I-'I of Figure 1.

Figure is asection on the line 8&8 of Figure l.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional View showing the foot rest is held bylatch means against the side bar with the foot rest in folded position.

Figure 10 is a View showing a portion of the foot rest and a portion ofthe side member thereof and showing how a lug on the rest is adapted toVends of the side members of the frame and caster` wheels 'I are attachedto the lower ends of the legs. Short pieces or blocks 8 extend forwardlyfrom one of the side members of the frame at the upper and lower cornersthereof.

One side member of the chair includes the upright member IIJ, the lowerend of which forms a j; leg I I which has a caster wheel I2 attached toits lower end and upper and lower cross bars I3 have the front endsconnected with the upright member I0 and the other ends of these crossbars are hinged to the blocks B'by the hinges I4. These Ihinges arefastened to the inner faces of the parts 8 and I3 so that when the sidemember vis in operative position the inner ends of the side or crosspieces I3 will abut the outer ends of the blocks as shown in Figure 1. Aplate I5 is attached to the louter face of each cross piece I3 at theinner end thereof and a screw I6 is carried by each plate and has a wingnut I'I thereon. A latch bar I8 is pivoted to the outer face of eachmember 8 and has a hook at its free end for engaging the bolt I6, thelatch bar being held in place by tightening the nut I'I. Each latchmember is provided with a handle I8.

The other side member of the chair includes an upright I9, the lower endof which forms a leg 20 and a caster wheel 2l is connectedY to the lowerend of the leg and upper and lower cross pieces 22 have their outer endsconnected with the member I9 and their inner ends are hinged directly tothe opposite side member of the back by the hinges 23, these hinges alsobeing connected to the inner faces of the members 22 so that this sidemember can be swung inwardly against the inner face of the back of thechair and then the other side member can be swung :inwardly overthe-firstl side-member, the blocks-V spacing the rst side member fromthe back of the chair so that this side member can be folded over theother side member as shown in Figure 2.

A plate 24 is connected to the outer face of the upper cross piece 22and` carries a bolt provided with a wing nut as shown at 25 forreceiving a latch member on the adjacent side member of the back forlocking the side member composed of the parts. I9 and 22 in operativeposition, this latch member not being shown but this is similar to thoseshown at I8.

of the plates 41 as shown more clearly in Figure 4. Thus the seat restis held in extended position. Of course, the foot board must be releasedfrom the latch spring 38 before it can be moved downwardly to theposition shown in Figure 4.

A hand grip is suspended from each of the upper cross pieces I3 and 22of the side members of the chair and each hand grip includes a bar 49having its ends connected to the lower ends of curved plates 59 whichare provided with arcuate slots 5I, see Figure 8, and a bolt 52 A seat28 is hinged to the lower part of the back frame as shown at 21, theseat being provided with a cushion 28 and the hinge is so arranged thatwhen the seat is swung upwardly it will occupy the recess 5 formed inthe front part of the rear frame as shown in Figure 3. Plates 29 areattached to the bottom part of the seat and extend from the sidesthereof and when in lowered position holes in these plates will fit overpins 39 on the lower cross bars of the two side members of the chair asshown in Figure 5 and also in Figure 1. When the seat is in raisedposition turn buttons 3| Von the side members of the rear frame can bepositioned over the plates 29 to hold the seat in raised positionasshown in Figure 2 and also in Figure 6.

A foot rest board 32 has straps 33 of metal attached to its ends and therear end of each strap is bent outwardly to form the lug 34, see Figure10, and side links 35 have their lower ends pivoted to the projectingrear ends of these straps 33 by pivots 36 as shown more clearly inFigure 9. The upper ends of the links are pivotally connected to thelugs depending from the seat 26 as shown at 31 and when the parts are inthe position shown in Figure 4 with the seat lowered and the foot restin` operative position the lugs 34 will engage the rear edges of thelinks 35 and thus prevent movement of the foot board beyond horizontalposition as shown in Figure 4. However, the footboard can be swungupwardly to place it between the links 35 as shown in Figure 9. The footboard is held in this position by a leaf spring 38 attached to one endof a side bar and carrying a pin 39 passing through a hole in Vthe sidebar and engaging a hole in the adjacent strap 33 as shown in. Figure 9.

A bar 49 of oval shape in. cross section, see Figure 3, is connected byshort links 4I to upper portions of the links 35, see Figure 4, the bar40 passing under an elongated leaf spring 42 having one end attached bya staple 43 to an intermediate portion of the bottom of the seat and itsupper end is connected to a front portion of the seat on the undersidethereof by a clip 44 which has a handle 45 thereon for facilitatingpulling the seat out of the recess 5. The staple 43 permits limitedmovement of the spring 42 during the movement of the bar 40 thereunder.When the seat is folded against the back and the links 35 with the footboard folded between them are folded against the seat the bar 4B willpass under the lower end of the spring 421 so that the folded foot restis held against the folded seat as shown in Figure 3, the seat beingheld in folded position by turnbuttons 3I engaging the plates 29. Whenthe seat is swung downwardly into operative position and the foot restis moved to operative position the bar 49 will pass along under thespring 42 until it rides over the triangularshaped plates 41 attached tothe underside of the seat and then the bar 49 will pass into notchesformed by these plates 41 and depending pins 43 extending from the seatslightly in front passes through the slots, these bolts being carried bythe depending brackets 53 depending from the said upper cross pieces ofthe side members. A Wing nut 54 is threaded on each bolt to hold thehand grips in adjusted position. The slots and bolts permit the handgrips to be moved into the dotted and full line positions shown inFigure 8, it being seen that when in the full line position each handgrip has its bar 49 located inwardly of a side member so that it can bereadily seized by the hand of the person using the chair. When in thefull line position shown in Figure 8 the upper end of each plate 50engages a horizontal part of a bracket 53 to firmly support the handgrip in this position.

I also provide means whereby the chair can be pushed along by anotherperson by providing a handle attached to the top of the rear member ofthe chair. As will be seen the handle includes a bar 55 connected to theside pieces 55 and these side pieces are pivoted to the upright brackets51 rising from the upper bar of the frame. Each bracket is provided withupper and lower stops 58 for holding the handle in either the positionshown in Figures 1 and 3 or in a downwardly folded position against therear face of the back of the chair. The pivots are formed by bolts 59having lthumb nuts 60 thereon s o that by tightening and loosening thenuts the handle can be swung downwardly or upwardly, after which thenuts are tightened.

When the chair is to be used for facilitating a child or a crippledperson in walking the seat and back rest are moved to the position shownin Figure 3 and then by gripping the hand grips 49 or partly resting onthe upper side members i3 and 22 the person can support himself while hepushes the chair along. Then when the person wishes to sit down the seatis moved to the position shown in Figure 1 and if he wishes to use thefoot rest the foot rest is swung to the position shown in Figures 1 and4. If a person is to be pushed along while sitting in the chair thehandle 55 is raised and then a second person grips the handle and pushesthe person sitting in the chair along a surface. When the chair is to bestored or carried from one place to another the parts can be folded inthe position shown in Figure 2.

VIt is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

invention, what is member, caster wheels carried by the four legs, aseat for the chair hingedly connected to the back member and restingagainst the front of the back member when in raised position, parts onthe seat for resting against portions of the side members when inlowered position and means for holding the seat in raised positionwhereby one can enter the space formed by the two side members and theback member rails at the top of said side members forming arm rests, andhand-grips attached to the rails and disposed beneath the same.

2. In a chair of the class described, a back member, a pair of sidemembers, legs depending from the members and having caster wheels attheir lower ends, a seat and means for raising the seat against the backmember, hand grips depending from upper portions of the side members,and means for attaching the handgrips to the side members for adjustmentlaterally thereof.

3. In a chair of the class described, a back member, a pair of sidemembers, legs depending from the members and having caster wheels attheir lower ends, a seat and means for raising the seat against the backmember, hand grips depending from upper portions of the side members,and means for adjusting the hand grips laterally to different positions.

4. A chair of the class described comprising a back member and a pair ofside members, legs depending from the members and having caster wheelsat their lower ends, a seat hinged to the back member and restingagainst the same when in raised position, parts carried by the seat andengaging parts of the side members when the seat is in lowered position,a foot rest board, links connecting the same with the under part of theseat, said rest being foldable between the links and the links beingfoldable on the seat, a cross bar, short links connecting the ends ofthe same to the links, a spring under which the cross bar passes andkeeper members for receiving the cross bar when the foot rest is inoperated position.

5. A chair of the class described comprising a back member, blocksextending forwardly from the side parts of the back member, a sidemember including an upright, upper and lower cross bars, hingesconnecting the rear ends of the cross bars to the blocks for permittingthe side member to be folded toward the back member with a space betweenthe side member and the back member, a second side member including anupright and upper and lower cross bars, means for hinging said crossbars to the opposite side of the back member for permitting thelast-mentioned side member to be folded against the back member and thefirst side member against the second side member, a seat hinged to theback member, means for holding the seat in raised position against theback member and parts on the seat engaging the lower cross bars of thetwo side members when the seat is in lowered position.

6. A chair of the class described comprising a back member, blocksextending forwardly from the side parts of the back member, a sidemember including an upright, upper and lower cross bars, hingesconnecting the rear ends of the cross bars to the blocks for permittingthe side member to be folded toward the back member with a space betweenthe side member and the back member, a second side member including anupright and upper and lower cross bars, means for hinging said crossbars to the opposite side of the back member for permitting thelastmentioned side member to be folded against the back member and therst side member against the second side member, a seat hinged to theback member, means for holding the seat in raised position against theback member and parts on the seat engaging the lower cross bars of thetwo side members when the seat is in lowered position, latch means forholding the side members in extended position, legs formed on theupright members of the side members, legs depending from the back memberand caster wheels at the lower ends of the legs.

JUDSON O. TAYLOR.

